Draft appliance.



WILLIAM H. GERKE, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

DRAFT APPLIANCE.

Application filed February 6, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. GERKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and use-- ful Draft Appliance, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to draft equalizers for wagons or other horse-drawn vehicles, and the object is to provide a double-tree with a clevis arrangement on it that will by adjustment distribute the pull on the load betWeen the two horses pulling it, so that the stronger of the two horses will pull a correspondingly greater share of the load. I embody this invention in an arrangement of parts described and claimed in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a top view of the double-tree fulcrumecl in place on a tongue (partly shown). Fig. 2 is a rear view of Fig. 1, with the pins 13 omitted.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional View sub stantially on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a left hand portion of Fig. 3 but showing a modification of the securing pin 13. Fig. 5 is an enlarged modified detail view of the plate 3. Fig. 6 is a portion of Fig. 3 with the plate 3 modified. Fig. 7 is a top view of Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the pin 13 as seen in Fig.3 and showin the ears 4, 5 in section. Fig. 9 is a right en view of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawing by reference numerals, 1 designates the tongue or pole of a wagon or other horse drawn vehicle to which is pivotally mounted at its middle by abolt 12 a double-tree 2. I place at each end of the double-tree 2, on its rear side, a clevis plate 3 having two ears 4: and 5 through which is inserted the pin 6 of a draft clevis 7 Each plate 3 is provided with two horizontal slots 8, 9, which are slidably engaged by carriage bolts 10 whiohextend through the double-tree 2 and are secured with nuts 11. When said nuts are loosened the plates 3 may be slid on the bolts 10 thus shortening or lengthening the distance between the clevis and the fulcrum pin 1 of the double tree. The shortening or lengthening of this Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 215,704.

distance will correspondingly increase or decrease the relative necessary pull required on each clevis of the double tree. Thus if a stronger horse is hitched to the clevis on the left side of the tongue than to the one on the right side, the plate 3 on the left is moved in toward the tongue 1. If the slots in the plate do not allow a suificient inward movement of the plate on the boltslO then the plate 3 on the right side end of the double-tree can be moved outward on its bolt 10 until the desired relative distances are secured between each of the clevises 7 and the pin 12.

Each clevis pin 6 is held in place by a securing pin 13 (see Figs. 1, 3 and 8) which is slidable up and down in the ears 4 and 5 and provided with a spring 14 which tends to hold it in a downward position. The pin 13 is prevented from turning because of a portion 15 of its shank being square and fitting into a corresponding aperture 15 in the ear 4 (see Fig. 8). Thus if it is desired to move the clevis pin 6, the pin 13 must first be lifted and turned so that its top hook 13 of it will clear the head of the clevis pin 6.

A. modification of the securing pin 13 is shown in Figs. 4 and 7, where, instead of a square shank portion to prevent turning of the pin, the pin is provided with a finger 16 which is adapted to engage in an aperture 17 in the ear 4".

In the modification shown in Figs. 5 and 9, the ears 4 and 5 are not integral with the plate but cast in a separate casting 18 which may be riveted or in some other manner secured to the plate 3.

What I claim is:

1. A double-tree pivoted at its middle, two longitudinally adjustable clevis plates one near each end of the rear side of the doubletree, two clevises straddling the doubletree and pivoted one to each clevis plate.

2. A clevis arrangement for each end of a doubletree, the same consisting of a plate having longitudinal slots, securing bolts extended through said slots and through holes in the doubletree, said plate having perforated rearward projections, a clevis strad- Patented July 9, 1918.

dling the donbletree and a pin in said elevis bear upon the head of the clevis pin, a engaging said perforated projections. spring acting on the slidable pin to hold it 3. The structure specified in claim 2 and downward, and means for preventing rota- 10 means for holding the clevis pin in place; tion ofthe slidahle pilrwl en it is in locking 5 said means consisting of a in 'slidableinpi engagementwiththetheadg-ofthe.clevis pin. and down in the perforated extensions of the In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature. plate and having a lateralarm adapted to H. GERKE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained forji ye ce njs s eaoh bx eqgressing the Commissioner of Patents, WashingtongE-C. 

